Abstract
In Taiwan's machine tool industry, controller Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) are typically developed by engineers, leading to significant usability issues that hinder efficiency and global competitiveness. Integrating professional designers is often impeded by industry knowledge gaps and technical constraints. Addressing this, our Research through Design (RtD) project explores how to empower engineers to create user-centric interfaces. We present the development of a specialized UI kit and an accompanying Visual Studio extension, purpose-built for the industrial context. The toolkit provides a modular, design-system-based framework, enabling engineers without formal design training to rapidly build intuitive and consistent HMIs. This work offers a practical model for embedding design within engineering workflows, enhancing usability and fostering innovation in a technology-driven sector.
Keywords
Human-Machine Interface (HMI); User-Centered Design (UCD); Machine Tool; Design System
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.931
Citation
Hu, C., Chen, T., Li, Y.,and Wu, Y.(2025) Bridging UX Design and Industrial Software Development: A UI Toolkit for CNC Controller Interface Design, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.931
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 10 - Design Practices & Impacts
Bridging UX Design and Industrial Software Development: A UI Toolkit for CNC Controller Interface Design
In Taiwan's machine tool industry, controller Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) are typically developed by engineers, leading to significant usability issues that hinder efficiency and global competitiveness. Integrating professional designers is often impeded by industry knowledge gaps and technical constraints. Addressing this, our Research through Design (RtD) project explores how to empower engineers to create user-centric interfaces. We present the development of a specialized UI kit and an accompanying Visual Studio extension, purpose-built for the industrial context. The toolkit provides a modular, design-system-based framework, enabling engineers without formal design training to rapidly build intuitive and consistent HMIs. This work offers a practical model for embedding design within engineering workflows, enhancing usability and fostering innovation in a technology-driven sector.